For a smart Indian kid, who is yet to become a teenager, using three to four gadgets and having an active cyber presence isn't a big deal anymore. Children aged between eight and 12 (tweens) are now so hooked to the Internet that a majority of them "can't live without it even for a day", a survey has found. The survey has also highlighted the liberal approach of the parents in metro cities.
Conducted by McAfee, an antivirus provider, with parents' consent, the survey and its findings were released this week. The findings reveal a majority of tweens have their parents' permission for online activities, with many even getting help from their parents to open online accounts and then befriending them on social networking sites. Over a third of them interact with strangers online and nearly 40% share their personal information on social sites. Coupled with low security passwords, these young ones are vulnerable to untoward incidents, the survey says.
A part of the Tweens & Technology Report 2013, the survey was conducted among 572 boys and 428 girls from Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.
It highlights, "Nearly 70% online tweens have Facebook accounts, defying the eligibility age of 13."
More than a third also receive nasty comments but they don't react to it, it adds.
While many parents dna spoke with say they are against the use of Internet-enabled devices to keep their children "safe", others believe online devices help children keep pace with the times.
Banker Sharda Singh, mother of two pre-teen children, says, "We are living in a global world where competition is high. Keeping children away from what is available now will affect their mental and social development."
Kirti Kohli, mother of a Std VI child, says,"I have no option but to allow her to use social networking sites as many of her classmates and neighbourhood friends are already using it."
Dr Harish Shetty, psychiatrist, advises parents to have a cautious and balanced approach. "While half an hour of Internet activity is OK, more than this will reduce the talking time between parents and children, which is more important for emotional and mental development than chatting online with friends," Shetty says, adding that Internet can be dangerous as it provides access to the world and many strangers.
via Technology - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNFRdM4-L74gPXO7V-FQjGVidywl4g&url=http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-tweens-in-india-go-online-4-hours-daily-with-parents-nod-1926000
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